


Operation Ask Out

by scrapsandbolts



Series: Marvel Oneshots [5]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, But only a little, Cussing, Everyone is tired of their bs, Futile Planning, M/M, Oblivious Bucky Barnes, Oblivious Tony Stark
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-01
Updated: 2019-02-01
Packaged: 2019-10-20 12:59:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,323
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17622824
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/scrapsandbolts/pseuds/scrapsandbolts
Summary: Tony and Bucky both like each other, but they're too oblivious to each other's crushes. All of their friends grow tired of the two dancing around each other, hopelessly pining. So, to force the two to confess, they hatch a plot to get their idiot friends to go on a date. Will everything go according to plan when an unexpected event takes place?





	Operation Ask Out

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, I was planning on posting a fic every Wednesday, but due to mental and physical health problems, I disappeared for a couple weeks. So now I plan on posting, ideally every Friday, but at least two Fridays a month. As always, comments and kudos are not required, but greatly appreciated. I may not reply to your comments, if you make one, but I do read them all, and if you want me to answer something, I do have a Tumblr (scrapsandbolts.tumblr.com) where I will answer. Thanks for reading this!

Tony Stark and James Barnes had a lot in common, Rhodey realized as he watched the two talk about something geeky. They both loved science, weird TV shows, random trivia, and, most of all, each other. Though they were both too stubborn and oblivious to realize it. 

Which was why Rhodey, Pepper, Natasha, and Sharon had come up with a genius plan to get Tony and Bucky to admit their feelings. It was simple, really. They would bring Steve, Sharon’s new best friend, in on it, along with Rhodey. Rhodey would try to woo Bucky while Steve attempted to get Tony to fall for him, thus making the two lovesick idiots confess. 

How they’d do that? Simple; make it a bet. Steve would bet Tony that he could woo Bucky, while Rhodey did the same with Bucky. Whoever got a date would win. Since both Rhodey and Steve weren’t interested in their friends, nothing weird could happen to jeopardize the mission. 

“Alright, Natasha and I have 100 dollars that you have to split for the bet. Tony will automatically say yes because he’s competitive and also clingy,” Sharon explained, stopping when Rhodey and Steve laughed. “And Steve says Bucky would never allow him to take Tony from him. Here you go, you’ll place your bets after school. Steve, you do it at football practice, Rhodey at Science club. You can’t let the other know you made a bet, under any circumstances. You let it slip, the whole operation is over.”

“Your lives are also over.” Natasha deadpanned. With Nat, you could never really tell if she was kidding or not. “As of now, Operation Ask Out begins.” The conspirators broke off and went to their classes, ready to implement Phase One (of 148) of Operation Ask Out. 

~~~  
“Rhodey-bear, where have you been? Hammer just tripped and landed on his face, and you missed it!” Tony complained, moving his backpack to the ground so Rhodey could sit. 

Rhodey noticed Steve sitting next to Bucky, and he smiled internally. Phase One begins. 

“So, Tones, what do you think of Barnes?” Rhodey asked innocently, taking out a notebook and pencil. Tony sputtered, coughing to fix his breath. 

“He’s cool, I guess. Why do you ask?” Tony replied, pretending he hadn’t just freaked out. 

“No reason,” Rhodey answered, writing the date and today’s subject in his notebook. 

“Sure,” Tony said, suspicious, as he should be. There was a secret operation going on.

At the same time, Steve was implementing his part of Phase One. “Hey, Buck, what do you think of Stark?”

Bucky had a similar reaction to Tony, except Bucky had been drinking water at that time. He coughed, catching his breath. 

“Stark?” Bucky squeaked. “Uh, he’s cool, I guess. Why are you asking?”

“No reason,” Steve replied, in the same tone as Rhodey. Bucky squinted his eyes at Steve, but said nothing. Phase One, complete. 

~~~  
“Rhodey,” Tony whined, dragging his best friend to Science Club. “Hammer’s trying to start a mutiny. I need to know you won’t turn on me.”

“Tones, how many times have I had the chance to turn on you? And how many times have I actually done that?” Rhodey asked. Tony smiled brightly in response, taking hold of Rhodey’s hand. Tony was unexpectedly affectionate when you won his approval, which was always nice to be reminded of.

Science Club was interesting this time, as football practice was cancelled, thus freeing Bucky up to join Tony and Rhodey. Steve and Rhodey shared a worried glance, hoping their operation wouldn't be ruined.

Justin Hammer stood at the front of the classroom, looking as weasley as ever, a smug smile on his face.

“Ladies and gentlemen, today is a special Science Club meeting, as we are voting on the President of the club. The choice is between me and Stark. Now, I would normally…” Rhodey tuned out Hammer’s campaign, knowing Tony would win, so it didn’t really matter. He and Steve were in the back, whispering.

“What are we gonna do? We were supposed to get them to confess before Nat’s party, and if we delay this, the whole plan is ruined!”

“I know!” Steve hissed, glancing at Tony and Bucky. “First things first, we’ll get Tony back as President.”

“Of course, though it won’t be hard. Everyone loves Tony, even that freshman Parker.”

“I think you mean especially Parker. That kid adores Tony,” Steve corrected. Rhodey nodded, and they both turned back to the front of the room.

~~~  
Tony worked on some trinkets as Hammer spoke. Sure, there were plenty of people who would vote for him, but some of the kids in here hated Tony, so how was he supposed to know how this would turn out?

Bucky patted Tony’s shoulder, his presence comforting. Hammer was done talking, and since Tony had made his speech last meeting, the voting would begin. Tony stood next to Hammer, still working on his trinkets.

“Nervous, Stark?” Hammer asked.

“Of what? Losing? Please,” Tony scoffed, forcing himself to calm down, at least outwardly.

The votes were cast, and Parker began tallying them up. Hammer was winning so far, and Tony felt his lunch trying to come up in his throat. Hammer would no doubt ban him from the club meetings.

“Giving up already?” Hammer asked, noticing how Tony’s shoulders dropped. “No one’s surprised. They knew I’d win. I’m clearly the best choice; superior to you in every way.”

The thing was, Hammer had noticed Tony, but failed to notice Bucky. The football player had been watching the interaction since it began, and he saw red at Hammer’s words.

In two swift steps, Hammer was pinned against the wall, Bucky lifting him a few inches off the ground. “The only thing superior about you is your ego; as in, it’s fucking huge,” Bucky hissed. “I don’t know why you hate Tony, but I do know that Tony’s one of a kind and you’re a cheap knockoff. If you ever insinuate that you’re better than Tony or try and hurt him in any way again, I will hunt you down and make you regret _ever_ hearing his name.” Bucky stepped back, Hammer falling to the ground. Bucky seemed to just now realize what he’d done, because he booked it the hell out of there.

Tony darted off after him, leaving a stunned club and a confused Steve and Rhodey.

“What the hell just happened?” Rhodey asked, and Steve shrugged. The two friends just stared at the open door, wondering if they should go after their dumbass best friends.

~~~  
“So, Operation Ask Out was unnecessary,” Natasha said calmly. Rhodey and Steve nodded, scared witless. “Damn, that was a waste of a plan. We could’ve used that for Bruce and Thor if I’d known it wasn’t needed for them.”

“I still can’t believe you all were willing to go through a three week, meticulous, hundred phase plan in order to get us together.” Bucky chuckled, shaking his head.

“We were sick of you dancing around each other,” Sharon explained. “Besides, it was a good plan.”

“I feel like you’re biased because you like Nat.” Tony pointed out from his position on the floor.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Sharon replied, while sitting on Nat’s lap and playing with her hair. “You should let me braid it, it would be so nice.”

“Only if you make it a badass braid,” Natasha conceded. “I have a reputation to upkeep.”

“Of course.” Sharon agreed, obviously planning something cute for Nat.

“Well, since Operation Ask Out was a bust, I’m taking Tony on our first official date. Goodbye, you idiot spies.” Bucky picked Tony up from the floor, letting the sleepy boy cling onto him and pass out.

“How’re you gonna take him on a date when he’s asleep?” Rhodey asked, receiving two middle fingers from Tony and Bucky. The remaining teens burst into laughter.

“Now, let’s start planning Operation Prom Date.”


End file.
